The challenge
Inpart recently collaborated with an American materials science to run two Connect Campaigns to identify academic researchers to address their technical R&D challenges. Due to competitive sensitivity, the company has chosen to remain anonymous.
The company specializes in creating solutions for extreme environments, including inhospitable conditions on Earth, inside the human body, and space. A key part of their strategy involves identifying novel assets and establishing new partnerships to bolster their R&D pipeline. However, the challenge of identifying and activating a global science network to uncover relevant and novel opportunities in autoimmune research can be complex and time-consuming.
The solution
To overcome this challenge, a Technologist from the materials science company worked with Inpart to develop their Industry Call for Opportunities (ICO’s) briefs for the campaigns to ensure the most relevant opportunities were found. The Technologist found the ICO production process useful as it “helped them clarify the most valuable topics and approaches of interest.”
Targeted outreach
Leveraging the brief, Inpart’s research team meticulously screened the academic and biotech landscape, identifying and targeting over 1,390 organizations worldwide for the first ICO campaign and 1,391 organizations for the second one. The outreach strategy included direct contact with Inpart network members, newsletters, and social media engagement to maximize the campaign’s visibility and impact.
The result
The ICO campaign was a significant success, generating enthusiastic participation from both academic researchers and biotech companies.
The first ICO launched by the company was looking for expertise and strategies to be used in the immobilization or encapsulation of live non-mammalian organisms for use in fermentation.
Inpart’s Connect Campaigns team found 47 active opportunities that were interested in collaborating with the company. After a series of reviews, the company asked to be introduced to four research groups. The Technologist recently updated us on the progress of those introductions:
“Of those contacts, we are in various stages of project scoping with two research project submitters. We have established a consulting agreement with one of the experts. We choose not to move forward with only one of the four teams.”
Their second campaign was launched six months later, uncovering 54 opportunities in advanced materials for incorporating immobilized enzymes in chemical catalysis.
- 2,781 organizations approached
- 101 opportunities submitted
- 7 introductions facilitated
They recently completed their review of the opportunities from the second campaign:
“As before, our team sorted through responses and came up with three groups to approach immediately (two Research Projects & one Expert). We have started conversations with these contacts and are moving forwards with plans to scope a research project with one of the groups. We reserved an additional five groups to consider approaching in CY23.”
We also asked the Technologist about how they managed the conversations with the researchers after the initial introduction from Inpart. They explained:
“Our next steps start with learning more about the degree of overlap between our interests and the contact. We also explore preferred ways of interaction and, so far, have not encountered any challenges with furthering a relationship. We anticipate maintaining consulting relationships in both areas and hope to execute collaborative research projects. Such projects may investigate a critical technical uncertainty or perceived barrier to commercialization.”
Their final comments on their experience using Connect Campaigns explained the advantages of using the platform to scout for new academic connections.
“We have been impressed with the value provided by our Inpart Connect Campaigns efforts. The time required for research, outreach and report delivery was reasonable, especially considering the wealth of information obtained. The format and information content of the report made the difficult process of selecting the most exciting opportunities as convenient as possible. Finally, the introductions process was seamless. We cannot imagine a more effective way to explore our areas of interest across such a large group of outstanding academicians.”
